Weekly Roundup Archive: WR 6/13/20

Note: statements concerning ongoing civil protests are being compiled on a separate guide

6/14 - VOA Director’s Statement on CDC’s Media Interview Policy Excluding VOA Journalists (VOA; see also, VOA Director Amanda Bennett and Deputy Director Sandy Sugawara Stepping Down; USAGM CEO implements critical changes on day one to fulfill legislative mandate; and Senate Foreign Relations Ranking Member statement)

6/15 - Department of Justice Announces Launch of Civil Rights Reporting Portal (DOJ)

6/15 - FDA Revokes Emergency Use Authorization for Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine (FDA)

6/16 - USDA Trade Mitigation Purchases to Feed People in Need and Aid American Farmers Surpass $2B (FNS)

6/17 - Department of Defense Releases Defense Space Strategy (DOD; direct to summary report)

6/17 - Justice Department Issues Recommendations for Section 230 Reform (DOJ; direct to report)

6/17 - EPA Proposal Strengthens Regulations and Protects Children from Exposure to Lead-Contaminated Dust (EPA)

6/17 - New Mapping Tool for Managing Debris Expands Nationwide (EPA)

6/18 - Ensuring an Accurate Count of College Students and Towns in the 2020 Census (Census)

6/18 - DNI Ratcliffe on Filing Declaration in U.S. Government Case against John Bolton (DNI; see also, Pompeo statement and Court decision denying administration’s efforts to block publication – via CNN)

6/18 - EPA Grants First-Ever Petition to Add to Hazardous Air Pollutants List Under Clean Air Act (EPA)

6/18 - EPA Issues Final Action for Perchlorate in Drinking Water (EPA)

6/18 - EPA Announces Dynamic New Water Data Transparency Tool (EPA)

6/19 - EPA Releases First Final Chemical Risk Evaluation (EPA)

6/19 - SECNAV and CNO As-Delivered Opening Remarks to Pentagon Press Corps – re: investigation into the COVID-19 outbreak on  USS Theodore Roosevelt (Navy; see also, Former USS Theodore Roosevelt Commander Will Not Be Reinstated)

6/19 - SBA and Treasury Announce Enhanced Transparency Regarding the Paycheck Protection Program (Treasury; see also, House Chairs Demand That SBA Immediately Comply With GAO’s Oversight of Taxpayer Funds for Coronavirus)

6/15 - SCOTUS rules that federal law protects LGBTQ employees from job discrimination (see also, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Calls on Trump Administration to Revise Regulations and Enforcement Practices To Recognize Civil Rights Protections for LGBT Americans and Comply with the Bostock Decision)

6/15 - NOAA Research Council determines NOAA leaders violated the agency’s Scientific Integrity Policy in “Sharpiegate” response (NOAA)

6/16 - Judge Orders Trump Administration To Give Tribes Their COVID-19 Relief Funds (via Huffington Post)

6/16 - Science Advisory Board (SAB) Consideration of the Scientific and Technical Basis of EPA’s Proposed Rule Titled National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Proposed Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (FACA)

6/18 - Supreme Court ruling protects DACA (see also, statements by DHS, USCIS, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Chair)

6/18 - Insider Threat Program (DHS)

6/19 - Reprocessed Report on the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election volume 1, volume 2, redaction explanations (DOJ FOIA)

6/19 - Records Concerning the Views OLC Provided Attorney General William Barr On Whether The Evidence Developed By Special Counsel Robert Mueller Is Sufficient To Establish That The President Committed An Obstruction-Of-Justice Offense​ (DOJ FOIA)  

6/19 - Attorney General William P. Barr on the Nomination of Jay Clayton to Serve as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (DOJ; see also, ousted U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman’s response, Barr’s subsequent letter informing Berman that he has now been fired by Trump, Berman’s subsequent statement on leaving the office, and House Judiciary Chair’s statement on opening investigation (DOJ)

6/15 - Capping Report: CBP Struggled to Provide Adequate Detention Conditions During 2019 Migrant Surge (DHS)

6/15 - DHS Can Enhance Efforts to Protect Commercial Facilities from Terrorism and Physical Threats (DHS)

6/15 - EPA's Office of the Chief Financial Officer Lacks Authority to Make Decisions on Employee-Debt Waiver Requests (EPA)

6/16 - U.S. Postal Service’s Processing Network Optimization and Service Impacts (USPS)

6/18 - Management Advisory Memorandum of Concerns Identified During Mock Exercises by Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Operation Response Teams (DOJ; see also, press release)

6/18 - Significant Incidents Involving Unaccompanied Children Not Effectively Captured in Reporting System; Facility Physical Security Inspection Checklists Need Improvement (HHS)

6/18 - Controls Over Meat, Poultry, and Egg Product Labels (USDA)

6/19 - Audit of GSA's Controls to Prevent Contracting With Suspended and Debarred Contractors (GSA)

OIGs are now releasing Semiannual Reports (SARs) for Spring 2020. If interested, you can click here to track which ones are available.

6/15 - How CBO Analyzes Approaches to Improve Health Through Disease Prevention (CBO)

6/15 - Compacts of Free Association: Populations in U.S. Areas Have Grown, with Varying Reported Effects (GAO)

6/16 - The Budgetary Effects of Laws Enacted in Response to the 2020 Coronavirus Pandemic, March and April 2020 (CBO)

6/16 - Retirement Security: BLS Should Explore Ways to Improve the Accuracy, Timeliness, and Relevance of Its Cost-of-Living Measurements (GAO)

6/16 - Military Justice: DOD and the Coast Guard Need to Improve Their Capabilities to Assess Racial Disparities (GAO)

6/17 - Supreme Court Rules Title VII Bars Discrimination Against Gay and Transgender Employees: Potential Implications (CRS)

6/18 - Supreme Court: DACA Rescission Violated the APA (CRS)

6/18 - Public Health Preparedness: HHS Should Take Actions to Ensure It Has an Adequate Number of Effectively Trained Emergency Responders (GAO)

6/19 - Section 301: Tariff Exclusions on U.S. Imports from China (CRS)

Information below is from congress.gov. Date listed is date signed into law, and the description is an abbreviated version of bill summary available on that website.

6/16 - S.2746 - Law Enforcement Suicide Data Collection Act (directs the FBI to establish a new program—the Law Enforcement Officers Suicide Data Collection Program—to prevent and understand law enforcement suicides)

6/17 - S.3744 - Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 (imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous region and requires various reports on the topic; see also, president’s signing statement)